TRUST 1-31-11

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, thank Him for all He has done.” Phil. 4:6 NLT

Maturing in the Lord isn’t easy. That’s why He takes us by the hand and guides us one step at a time, until one day with a big hug, He welcomes us into eternal paradise where we are fully and completely HIS. Until then, we believers have been enrolled in His “lifetime on planet earth” training seminar.

Phl. 4:6 commands us not to worry, while exhorting us to “let your gentleness be evident to all” in verse 5. What does this mean? Does it mean we are to merely ‘suck it up and take it’ when we are scared senseless or when we observe what God calls “wickedness” around us? Are we to roll over and pretend bad stuff isn’t happening? NO. The word gentleness “epiekeia” describes the heart of a person who chooses to allow the LORD to fight his battles; a person who is really free to let go of things that cause him stress because he fully TRUSTS GOD to take up his cause and care about his concerns. ~Likened to the safety a babe feels in the arms his mom, when we learn to truly trust the Lord with our lives (and all its details); we too will experience peace and security as we carry out our earthly call.

So what do we do when we find ourselves anxious, worried or fearful?

·       Humble ourselves before the Lord.

“Humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in His good time He will honor you. Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.” 1Pet. 5:6-7

·       Pray and cry out to God with what is troubling me.

“Give your burdens to the Lord and He will take care of you.” Ps.55:22        “I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in Your words.” Ps. 119:147

·       Choose to trust God at His Word, while choosing to make every thought obedient to Christ.

“Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.” Is. 41:10      ‘For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never forsake you.’ This is why we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper, so I will not be afraid.’” Heb.13: 5-6       “Take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ. 2 Cor. 10:5

·       Know and trust that God is intimately acquainted, invested and involved in every detail of my life.

“You have examined my heart and know everything about me…when I sit down or stand up…every thought…what I am going to say even before I say it…You saw me before I was born…every moment was laid out before a single day had passed…How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable!” Excerpts from Ps. 139

·       Know and trust that God is intimately acquainted, invested and involved in every detail of this world.

“The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race…understands everything they do…shatters the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes…The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word and all the stars were born. He gave the sea its boundaries. From His throne He observes ALL who live on the earth…He made their hearts, so He understands everything they do.”  Excerpts from Ps. 33

Do we Cleary’s have this wired? No. It’s a conscious daily surrender. But the more we exercise this kind of divine trust, the more “natural” it becomes. We pray the same for you.  ~May God bless each of us, as we trust HIM with all our insecurities, fears, and anxieties this week!       ~Shaun and Betsy

My Shaun stole me away to Vegas for a few days! xoxoxo

vegas

Big-Boy Pants 1-17-11

“Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature and wise in understanding matters of this kind.” 1Cor. 14:20

Temptation and sin are inevitable, but they do not have to be some kind of cosmic life sentence. Through Christ, we do have the victory.

Here are 7 quick steps that continue to work for us, perhaps they will help you to.

1. Develop a vibrant walking relationship with the Lord.
2. Prayerfully take time to write out personal goals...short range and longer range
3. Record vulnerable areas, asking God to help me understand what in particular makes me vulnerable.
4. After thinking through potential consequences of succumbing to a particular weakness, develop a plan of action to avoid situations that tempt me most.
5. Ask God to strengthen me against my weakness (mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually).
6. Keep my Nikes ready...FLEE don’t fight!
7. Become accountable to a strong, but loving and caring Believer.

And here a few tips from Jesus Himself:

• “Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak!...Get up and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you." " Matt. 26:41; Lk.22:46

• Understand that “temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires.” Jms. 1:14

• “But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it.” 1Cr 10:13    

• “If another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.” Gal 6:1

There we go...7 steps to victory, seems like such a nice neat triumphal package. ~ Effortless, easy, trouble-free and uncomplicated huh? NOT.

Some temptations and sin areas like an addiction, a wrong done against us (like incest/rape), or a impious affection of the heart may take a lifetime of utter dependence upon the Lord to experience daily victory. ~But if we lean on Jesus with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength, victory IS a sure thing.

“For the LORD your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!” Dt. 20:4

“Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is Yours, O LORD, and this is Your kingdom. We adore You as the One who is over all things.” 1Ch 29:11

 “In Your majesty, ride out to victory, defending truth, humility, and justice. Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!”  Ps. 45:4

Have a wonderful, victorious week!            Shaun and Betsy

The Perspective Miracle 1-10-11

"What is impossible from a human perspective is possible with God." Lk. 18:27

“I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in jail more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. 5 different times the Jews gave me 39 lashes. 3 times I was beaten with rods. 1x I was stoned. 3x I was shipwrecked. 1x I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled many weary miles.... faced danger from flooded rivers, from robbers...from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles....I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, on the stormy seas....and from men who claim to be Christians but are not. I have lived with weariness, pain and sleepless nights. Often I have been hungry and thirsty and have gone without food. Often I have shivered with cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.” Apostle Paul 2Cor.11:23-27
We read this list of trials and wonder, Paul, how in this world did you keep going?
How did you, a flesh and blood dude keep like me, keep your sanity much less your focus and purpose amidst all these obstacles? ~Because you were “super-human”, blessed by God in ways I’m not, with super-human faith, super-human strength, super-human even-keeled emotion, and a super-human tie to the spiritual world? NO. NOT. NADDA.

Paul’s strength, tenacity, and focus came from Paul’s vibrant relationship with and his utter dependence on the God of the Universe. ~And as Paul leaned into God (Prv. 3:5-6), the Holy Spirit worked His purpose and perspective into every cell and every thought of Paul’s compliant body and mind.
~Recently someone dear to us underwent critical surgery at Walter Reed Medical Center, a facility which services our military, including our nation’s wounded warriors. During his stay, this man witnessed a particularly appealing feature in the atmosphere of this facility: Despite grave injuries, the perspectives of patients and professionals are purposeful and positive. For instance, if a patient is ‘merely missing just one appendage’, it is referred to as merely a “paper-cut”, and the question soldiers are asking is not of what will I do with my life now, but what can I do to get out of this hospital and get back to my purpose ASAP? (~Missing a leg/arm, merely a paper-cut? Now, this is perspective.)

One such former patient, Capt. Scotty Smiley, a West Point graduate, Army Ranger, husband and father was blinded on April 6, 2005 when a suicide bomber blew his world apart. And in the months that followed, Scotty and wife Tiffany’s faith was tested to its core.

But thankfully, what Satan meant to destroy, God raised up. And long inspirational story short, Scotty Smiley’s influence for Christ now impacts 1000’s worldwide and his inspirational book, Hope Unseen, is stirs the heart. As the Army’s 1st active-duty blind officer, its 1st blind company commander, Scotty now commands the Warrior Transition Unit at West Point’s Keller Army Medical Center. Plus, he’s surfed in Hawaii, skied in Vail, climbed Mt. Rainer, etc....a regular adventure-stricken guy! ~This man chose to look at his injury as ‘merely a paper-cut’ and move on with the purpose God created him for.

How about us? Our circumstances may or may not be to the extent of Paul’s or Scotty’s, but God’s desires for us are no less.

“So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do...let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.” Eph. 5:15-18
God bless you!                                 
Shaun and Betsy    

Refreshment and Renewal 1-3-11

“In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity withthe purpose of His will.” Eph. 1:11

“God, Who has saved us and called us to a holy life–not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.” 2Ti. 1:9

In today’s world we are constantly bombarded with stimulation. With so many things competing for our attention, likened to Jesus Himself, we have to be very purposeful in developing a habit of reflection and refreshment with God. (Matt. 14:23 “After He had dismissed them, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone...”)

Recently, we were chatting with friends regarding developing a habit of reflection and refreshment in the lives of our children. We shared with them a neat exercise we started with our kids when they were very young. The goal was to teach our 3 to treasure personal quiet time, and here’s what we did: We started with an age appropriate period of time and had our 3 mimic us and go to a private place in our home for some “alone time”. (We lived in tiny place back then and had to get creative!). We shared with them the special purpose behind having personal quiet time and slowly worked the time frame up to one hour in length. ~They were allowed to read, play quietly, rest, etc. but no playing with each other, no videos, no phones, etc.

You would’ve thought our kids would have hated this...but no. They saw how much my Shaun and I treasured our quiet time, and observed the joy we experienced from it. ~And in time they too found for themselves this same joy and refreshment that comes with quieting oneself before God. In fact today, while most of their friends are characterized by “running around with their hair on fire”, our kids (now 14, 18 and 21) still treasure escaping from the multimedia rat race and retreating to a quiet place.

~But it doesn’t just happen. Retreating from life’s intrigues and demands takes a purposeful mindset.

As 2011 begins, many of us will take time to reflect. We will ponder questions like:

• Did I achieved any of the goals I set for myself in 2010?
• How have I grown as a friend, spouse, parent, and child of God this past year?
• What were the highs, the lows and major lessons learned the last 12 months?
• Overall, is “my story” fitting into “The Story” that I’ve been designed for?

Like us, would you consider taking some time this week to retreat from the scurry of life in order to prayerfully review last year and regroup for this year? ~Doing so will help to give each of us a fresh perspective on our God given purpose (Eph. 2:10). And a fresh vision will in turn clarify our focus when otherwise we might simply continue to live in the day-to-day tyranny of the urgent!

Happy New Year to you!                                   
Much love,
Shaun and Betsy